Saturday, 27 December 2008

Yesterday has to count as the most surreal Boxing day ever, as usual we all congregate at mum's. usually she has been so busy faffing about that the guests have to pitch in with the cooking - but this year there was a twist. Not only had mum invited her partner's mother in law, sister in law and brother in law (not as odd as it seems, both mum and Pete are widowed and have known each other for years) without saying anything until we got there, due to her collapsed shoulder Mum had taken industrial amounts of narcotic painkillers, so we were in the position of arriving at 1.30, with lunch due at 3, nothing actually prepared apart fro the roast , and 3 extra guests , taking the total bodies to 14! Mum was doing everything at half speed and apparently didn't give a monkey's about how the meal was actually going to get on the table.My OH only goes visiting grudgingly(that includes his own family ) and only talks to people he knows, when they talk to him(no I wasn't aware of the social phobia when i met him) so he just sat blankly in the conservatory, playing with ella so he didn't have to mix (did I also mention he says he won't help out when someone's invited him - I know , he's a real charmer -no?)We did eat eventually, though it had to be stretched a bit and all the workers had to eat off their laps

Thursday, 25 December 2008

Why do we do it? I've spent the last 6 weeks making gifts, scraping money together and buying more 'stuff' yet again -admittedly less than last year, which has required some invention, but 'stuff' nonetheless.We've argued, burnt the candle at both ends(well I have) gotten horribly stressed and for what? To get that slightly underwhelmed feeling and the sense of despair that only parents know when faced with the ineffable mystery of toy packaging , how to get the damn things out of it, and what to do with the cardboard and twiddly wire mountain afterwards when the bin men don't come for a week and don't take more than one bag on the side.don't get me wrong, I enjoy christmas, especially (as this year) when theres a noob in the family, you can't beat the look on the face of a littlie who's just old enough to understand that this is a special, different kind of day, I also enjoy all the rituals of christmas dinner, the peeling of brussel sprouts, the miles of tinfoil, the multiple 'accompaniments' that threaten to take over, and the traditions that every family forms for themselves. For us it's home made cranberry sauce, bacon and chestnuts in the sprouts, the clearing of every surface in the kitchen to make pork pies, mix stuffing, chop veggies and the way the table miraculously reappears from under the projects it's used for for the rest of the year (our standard dining routine is a folding camping table in the lounge for the kids, laps for us) and is transformed by cloths and crackers, flowers and napkins and dishes full of the additions that are so necessary to Christmas Dinner. I shall probably end today with a toast to all the other harassed mums out there who will finally be able to put their feet up, examine their own gifts in peace and quiet and watchy trashy TV in the knowledge that the children are asleep, there is no need to cook tomorrow, because there is ample grazing in the fridge and it's 365 days until the next one!Merry Christmas One and All!Lisa XXX

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About Me

I'm a stay at home mum to 4 very loveable but energetic children aged 9,5,3 and 6 months. I'm studying for an open university degree and spend my spare time doing anything that occupies my hands.I'm married to Nigel,who is not a hobbies kind of person, but is quite understanding as long as I help him mend his motorbike!